Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Hank Baskett and Chris Draft Teamed Up with the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation and Raised $145,000 to Drive the #1 Cancer Killer Off The Map

SAN FRANCISCO, June 20, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- The former NFL duo is rallying a star-studded list of Hollywood and athletic celebrities to join them in their personal journey to tackle lung cancer

Hank: "I'm here to support Bonnie's Foundation because lung cancer is personal to me. It has swooped in and attacked my dad, & I understand how brutally destructive this cancer is & how many people are waging war to battle it."

Chris: "I am honored to be here and passionate about helping an organization like the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer Foundation that is leading the way, and pushing for immediate answers - not future hypotheses, for people like my wife, who never smoked and was in great physical shape, but was diagnosed with lung cancer and died less than a year later. Bonnie is demanding answers NOW!"

Bonnie: "I get the breathing thing...I know it first hand and I know what it feels like when you can't. It is our FUEL. Without it, life is terribly compromised...just having the support of Chris and Hank takes my breath away--in the good way!"

For both players, lung cancer is personal. Baskett, signed by the Colts and went on to play five years in the NFL with the Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, and the Philadelphia Eagles is helping his father battle the disease. Draft, played 12 years in the NFL for the Chicago Bears, San Francisco 49ers, Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, St. Louis Rams, and the Buffalo Bills recently lost his wife to the disease. Together, they are tackling lung cancer by raising awareness.

"We're proud that Hank Baskett and Chris Draft are making a bold statement against Lung Cancer," says Bonnie J. Addario, founder and a Lung Cancer survivor. "We're so honored to have Hank and Chris--and their football and Hollywood friends--on our team helping to raise much-needed funding and awareness for Lung Cancer and the message that ANYONE CAN GET LUNG CANCER."

The reception cocktail party, silent and live auctions and raffle proved that everyone was a winner. Addario, one of the rare Lung Cancer survivors and founder of the Foundation, welcomed Draft and Baskett into the Foundation's family at dinner.

"I'm so proud to have Hank and Chris in our family," said Bonnie. "Hank, I loved meeting your Dad at the tournament you held for us in May at the Trump National Golf Club. The only way I can describe him is he's a GREAT BIG HUG and your mom is a pistol. The leadership and courage you and Chris are bringing to the team has grown way beyond the football field. Thank you for stepping up and helping us turn Lung Cancer into a manageable, survivable disease."

There wasn't a dry eye in the house after an airing of "Chris Draft, Love and Loss," -ESPN's touching profile of Chris and his late wife Keasha, and their commitment to dance, smile, and live as they fought lung cancer together. As a former Charlotte Hornets Honeybee dancer and member of Clemson University's Rally Cat dance squad, Keasha was an energetic vibrant young woman who had never smoked when she was diagnosed with Stage IV Lung Cancer in December 2010. At the time, her only "symptom" was a slight shortness of breath a few days earlier. Despite the diagnosis and knowing the long odds they faced, Keasha and Chris decided to fight back. On November 27, 2011, standing side-by-side, they launched Team Draft together at their wedding. One month later, Keasha lost her courageous fight and died at the age of 38.

"The only way to tackle the issue of lung cancer is to do it as a solid team bringing together everyone from the patients and caregivers to the researchers and the doctors who are demanding that the results so far are not good at all," said Draft. "There's no one group that has a monopoly on this and that is why I was drawn to Bonnie and the foundation because they are working as a team with the Addario Lung Cancer Medical Institute (ALCMI) and their Lung Cancer Living Room® series. What separates them is that Bonnie knows there is a sense of urgency. Keasha had one year from her diagnosis, so I don't listen when someone says 'we're working on it." That's not good enough."

First place winners of the sold-out tournament were Michael Vasquez, Greg Gabbani, Josh Lutz and many-time winner Eddie Hernandez with an astounding 54. Second place winners were Rich Deponte, Stan Colombo, Dan Poncabra and long-time faithful major donor Mo Townsley with a score of 55.

The tournament's presenting sponsor's team from the Burns Family Foundation and Mobius Fit was led by Rob Dean and the foursome including Dave Engel, Ross Headley and Jeff Lokey came in third with a score of 56 (26 back 9).

About the Bonnie J. Addario Lung Cancer FoundationBJALCF is one of the largest philanthropies (patient-founded, patient-focused, and patient-driven) devoted exclusively to eradicating Lung Cancer through research, early detection, education, and treatment. The Foundation works with a diverse group of physicians, organizations, industry partners, individuals, survivors, and their families to identify solutions and make timely and meaningful change. BJALCF was established on March 6, 2006 as a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization. www.lungcancerfoundation.org

About The Chris Draft Family Foundation and Team DraftThe Chris Draft Family Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation dedicated to strengthening communities by empowering families to live healthy lifestyles. The Foundation focuses on several initiatives with overarching themes that stress the importance of education, healthy lifestyles, character development, personal responsibility, self-discipline, and physical fitness. To learn more about the Chris Draft Family Foundation, please visit www.chrisdraftfamilyfoundation.org .